Now for the light-hearted and fun-filled musical that will surely lighten your load and put a little spring in your foot, with DLOC’s delightful “Thoroughly Modern Millie”, currently playing in the Dean Lesher Regional Theater for the Arts in Walnut Creek. Under the astute overall direction of locally born Ryan Weible, the brilliant choreography of Sheri Stockdale, the music direction of Cheryl Yee Glass and their entire team of producer directors, a truly exciting musical and dance production has been unveiled for your enjoyment.

Based on the popular movie starring Julie Andrews and Mary Tyler Moore, this high energy show re-created for stage by Richard Morris and Dick Scanlan, with new lyrics by Jeanine Tesori and Dick Scanlan, is an absolute winner in every respect.

From cast selection to costumes (Pam Gill), to set design (by James Fouchard), to lighting by Kurt Landisman and even sound design by William Carrico, this show is thoroughly modern, in an old fashioned way.

The main characters, Office steno-pool worker Millie (played by Brandy Collazo) and Matthew Brandon Hutchens who plays her true love, Jimmy Smith are great, but so are all the supporting actors and actresses.

In supporting roles, Cynthia Myers plays the inscrutable (phony Chinese) manager of the Hotel Priscilla absolutely brilliantly, as does Mylinda Kyring who plays wealthy confidant and elitist party thrower, Muzzy Van Hossmere, with pluperfect pizzazz. Even Millie’s unmarried boss, Trevor Graydon (played by Eric Nieman) and her girlfriend, Dorothy Brown (played by Angilique Lucia) almost steal the show with their individual portrayals. And the list could go on and on as performers such as the two Chinese hotel workers, Ching Ho (Michale Cabanlit) and Bun Foo (Austin Ku) steal scene after scene. In addition, Heidi Schidt delivered a sterling performance as Miss Flannery, the office pool manager.

Millie, is an upbeat, gutsy young lady who came to New York from a small town in the mid-west to get a job and find an eligible bachelor husband with plenty of financial wherewithal. She makes friends in a hotel filled to the rafters with aspiring young actresses. The hotel is run by a nefarious landlady, Mrs. Meers, who pretends to be Chinese to divert people from recognizing her as former actress whom the police are looking for. As well as supplying a place of residence for beautiful young women, this hotel seems to have a duel role, in that those who seem to have no family or close friends outside of New York suddenly disappear. Could it be that the hotel staff is in reality a “White Slavery” group, suspected of sending young women out of the country, never to be heard from again, as slaves in illicit brothels in the Far East?

This is a superb up-beat, toe-tapping musical that has incorporated the best in tapping dancing talent under the excellent direction of Sheri Stockdale. I was enthralled by the talent of the many dancers in this production, dancers that varied in height, weight and shape that proves that talent is talent and under the right direction they can put on “One Hell of a Show”.

Mylinda Kyring plays the eccentric society and social personality (Muzzy Van Hossmere) with vibrancy and gusto. She makes the part come alive and adds considerably to the overall feel of the show. Lead actress, Brandy Collazo, is absolutely superb, beautiful and so talented it’s hard to know where to begin. She really brings fireworks to this show! There is nothing to criticize here, just plenty to laud and applaud!

Don’t miss “Thoroughly Modern Millie,” a terrific production that plays Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., with midday performances at 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, now through October 29th. Call (925) 943-SHOW (7469) or visit the web-site at http://www.dloc.org/ . The theatre is located in the Dean Lesher Regional Center for the Arts at 1601 Civic Drive in Walnut Creek. Tickets range between $26 to $38, which is an absolute steal of a deal! There is plenty of parking next door in a public parking garage.